Familiar Territory: A Hindrance to Your Destiny

When it comes to moving into God’s plan and purpose for your life, there is absolutely no question that you are going to have to move out of familiar territory. The comfort of what’s familiar to us, whether it’s a way of doing things, established thought patterns, an activity that has become a permanent part of our lives, our friends, or even family members, can sometimes become the very things that hold us back from going to another level in life. Our fear of what we think could happen if we move beyond familiar territory often paralyzes us and, consequently, we remain stuck in the same place, year after year—the same mindsets, the same negative emotions, the same struggles, the same problems, the same spiritual state that we’ve been in for the past decade of our lives! If you want change, you’re going to have to step out of what’s familiar.

I remember one of the biggest stepping out of familiar territory actions that I took was my decision to move across the country to attend college in Atlanta, Georgia at 18 years old. It was a pretty bold move for a young teenager from California, who didn’t know anyone in Atlanta and had never been that far from my family in any capacity. But my adventurous and headstrong personality embraced the prospect of conquering new territory and, with my family’s support, I took the leap. Little did I know that Atlanta would be the place where I would experience and grow through some of my most significant life lessons, develop lasting life-long friendships, meet my future husband, discover my ministry calling, and the will of God for my life. I wasn’t a person of faith back then at 18 years old, but I did have a willing heart that wanted to explore new things. God used that aspect of my personality to move me into exactly the place He needed me to be.

Over the years there have been many more instances of times where I had to move beyond what was familiar in order to embrace something new that would take my life to another level. The process of letting go of what is comfortable is ongoing. Sometimes it meant following a direction from God that other people didn’t fully understand, or making a decision to change a mindset that I had held on to for a long time. At other times it meant letting go of things that had become familiar idols in my life in order to experience a greater intensity of God’s power and presence. Regardless of the situation, it always involved moving out of some kind of comfort zone in order to see what was on the other side of what was familiar. I can honestly say that I haven’t been disappointed yet.

There’s definitely an element of fear involved in moving out of familiar territory but press past it. Sometimes the things that are familiar to us are like security blankets that we hold on to in order to preserve a sense of comfort, especially when we don’t feel secure or at peace within ourselves. Sometimes we just enjoy what we are currently involved in and the thought of giving it up makes us cringe. The truth is that we were all created to expand, take new territory, and continually go from level to level. Change is an inevitable part of life, and when we fight it, we end up stagnating, sometimes for years. We have to be willing to let go in order to let God do more in our lives. Consider what’s familiar to you and how moving beyond it could revolutionize your life in ways you can’t even fathom. Don’t let familiar territory hinder you from the greater purpose God has for your life!